Philippines Scams A Growing Threat In Online Dating

By Author: Paul Walker
Total Articles: 1
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A pretty face arrives in your inbox, seemingly innocent and just looking for love or a new friend. You like what you see and do not feel anything will go wrong. Why not try? She or he is only communicating with you online and might even work or live abroad, so what could possibly be the risk in finding a new pen pal? The answer is quite a lot. Once scammers establish an open line of communication, they have already lowered your defenses. In some cases, viruses such as keylogger software and other malicious code can be sent to you in the form of a link or photos or slideshow. Then you’ve just given up your passwords and banking information, and suddenly you’re a victim of identity theft and financial loss. How did this happen?
Online dating scams are becoming increasingly elaborate and complicated, and are taking on a face of a very organized crime ring in many countries like Philippines, Nigeria, Malaysia, Russia and the UK. These criminals are targeting popular social networking and dating sites like Facebook, Match.com, eHarmony, Filipino Cupid, and countless others. In other cases where the scammer may not ...
... be as computer savvy, the risk is still high. They may try to win your heart, and eventually win your money or cause major heartache. How do you know the perfect girl on the other side of the world is not married, or working with her boyfriend to scam you and take your money? In most cases, you don’t. Philippines private investigators and law enforcement agrees that getting some type of verification and peace of mind is key.
Scammers and internet criminals work in a systematic manner, starting by establishing a dialogue, building a relationship, gaining your trust and then very stealthily stealing your identity or winning your heart to gain access to your money. Soon enough, even for the most skeptical, an experienced scammer communicating with you online can lead to your bank account being drained, and even taking loans in your name.
According to international background check companies and the FBI, online dating scams are on the rise and the FBI alone receives thousands of complaints each month. The effects of a romance scam can be devastating, ending financial ruin, heartache and major emotional distress. People who use social networking sites on a day-to-day basis need to understand that these scammers operate in a way that is not always easy to detect. Think you’re safe because you don’t talk to anyone from the Philippines? Some scammers from the Philippines may claim to be from the U.K. or Hong Kong. They may even have a London phone number and show a web cam of a beautiful white girl. Things are not always as they seem.
Philippines detectives say to minimize the risk, a Philippines background check is critical. Social networking sites and online dating sites now have hundreds of millions of subscribers. Combined, there are over 1 BILLION people meeting online, and building relationships over the internet. Lower your risk and have your new friend or partner verified. It’s a wise insurance policy to have given the growing risk online.